Botanical classification/cultivar designation: Chrysanthemumxc3x97morifolium cultivar Panuco.
The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of cut flower Chrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Chrysanthemumxc3x97morifolium and hereinafter referred to by the name xe2x80x98Panucoxe2x80x99.
The new Chrysanthemum is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in De Lier, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new high-yielding cut flower Chrysanthemum cultivars with attractive ray and disc coloration, good inflorescence form and substance and good post-production longevity.
The new Chrysanthemum originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in January, 1999, in De Lier, The Netherlands, of a proprietary Chrysanthemumxc3x97morifolium selection identified as code number 2B 4, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary Chrysanthemumxc3x97morifolium selection identified as 12B 6, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent.
The cultivar Panuco was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in De Lier, The Netherlands in August, 1999. The selection of this plant was based on its desirable inflorescence coloration and good form and substance.
Asexual reproduction of the new Chrysanthemum by vegetative tip cuttings in a controlled environment in De Lier, The Netherlands since January, 2000, has shown that the unique features of this new Chrysanthemum are stable and reproduced Panuco to type in successive generations.
Plants of the cultivar Panuco have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of xe2x80x98Panucoxe2x80x99. These characteristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Panucoxe2x80x99 as a new and distinct cultivar:
1. Upright cut Chrysanthemum that is usually grown as a natural spray.
2. Freely flowering habit, about 18 inflorescences per flowering stem.
3. Daisy-type inflorescences.
4. Attractive dark red purple-colored ray florets.
5. Response time about 49 days when grown at 18xc2x0 C.
6. Dark green-colored foliage.
7. Strong flowering stems and peduncles.
8. Good postproduction longevity with inflorescences and foliage maintaining good substance and color for about two weeks in an interior environment.
Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in De Lier, The Netherlands, plants of the new Chrysanthemum differed from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:
1. Flowering stems of plants of the new Chrysanthemum were longer than flowering stems of plants of the female parent selection.
2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flowered two days earlier than plants of the female parent selection.
3. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum had longer postproduction longevity than plants of the female parent selection.
4. Ray florets of plants of the new Chrysanthemum were dark red purple in color whereas ray florets of plants of the female parent selection were red in color.
Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in De Lier, The Netherlands, plants of the new Chrysanthemum differed from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:
1. Flowering stems of plants of the new Chrysanthemum were shorter than flowering stems of plants of the male parent selection.
2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum had smaller inflorescences than plants of the male parent selection.
3. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flowered about two days later than plants of the male parent selection.
Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can also be compared to plants of the Chrysanthemumxc3x97morifolium cultivar Splended Reagan, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,205. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in De Lier, The Netherlands, plants of the new Chrysanthemum differed from plants of the cultivar Splendid Reagan in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum had smaller inflorescences than plants of the cultivar Splended Reagan.
2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flowered about five days earlier than plants of the cultivar Splended Reagan.
3. Ray florets of plants of the new Chrysanthemum were darker in color than ray florets of plants of the cultivar Splendid Reagan.
Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can also be compared to plants of the Chrysanthemumxc3x97morifolium cultivar Lineker, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in De Lier, The Netherlands, plants of the new Chrysanthemum differed from plants of the cultivar Lineker in the following characteristics:
1. Flowering stems of plants of the new Chrysanthemum were shorter and thinner than flowering stems of plants of the cultivar Lineker.
2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flowered about two days earlier than plants of the cultivar Lineker.
3. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum had smaller inflorescences than plants of the cultivar Lineker.
4. Ray florets of plants of the new Chrysanthemum were darker in color than ray florets of plants of the cultivar Lineker.